Board games are games that simulate historic or fictional conflicts. They are played on a map sheet or board using pieces or counters to represent troops and vehicles. Actions are resolved by rolling dice and comparing statistics on the counters to tables or charts to determine the results. Players alternate taking turns moving and fighting with the pieces. The game continues until one player's troops are eliminated or at the completion of a set number of turns. Game scale determines the size of the battlefield and the number of troops. Most are for two players but several may be required to play a very large scale campaign game. Many games are rated by their complexity. Chess, Checkers and Go are all examples of simple wargames that can become difficult.

Wargames are designed to create strategic and tactical military challenges. Historic games also serve as a window to the past and can instruct people on the realities of war. They allow an intense scrutiny of a large or small segment of a period. Though we abhor war, it has always been a nation's option to control or influence other nations. Wargamers play these games to enlighten themselves over the cause/effect and motives of war. The game scale determines the level of complication and defines the scope of the learning experience. For example, a grand scale game would include entire armies of nations as well as supply, technology, air combat, sea combat, ground combat and diplomacy. Small scale games may be one or two soldiers fighting over a piece of ground of strategic importance. When you add timelines, you can expand your experience to include Ancient, Napoleonic, Civil War, WWII and any other period. They also encourage you to find out more about that time and about it's people.

Many board wargames have been reissued as computer wargames. The inability to find fellow gamers as well as limited space to set up the games has hastened a decline in these types of games. It is very unfortunate since most of the learning comes from discussion with other players. After game strategy talks and references to actual historical results are invaluable to help in understanding of the time period. Some players utilize PBEM kits (Play by Electronic Mail) each having a copy of the game and emailing the other their actions for their turn.